


The In-between

by twocandles



Category: His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: Botanic Garden, F/M, Midsummer's Day, POV Lyra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 14:43:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20677109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twocandles/pseuds/twocandles
Summary: Their first meeting on Midsummer's Day a year after their parting.





	The In-between

**Author's Note:**

> I assume there are about a billion fics like this out there already so I apologise if something seems similar to others, I haven't read much yet though, I was waiting until after I finished this. I don't know how much sense it makes, I was just trying to play with an idea I had in my head.

It was a long year, but so very different from the one she had before. The first time in her life that her newfound emotions overwhelmed her for a really long time. It took months until the tears dried up, the tears that she cried into her pillow at night as quietly as possible, hoping no one would hear her. This was a private part of her that she wasn’t willing to share yet. 

As the days went by the pain and sadness receded, slowly, gradually, and the love remained in her heart, a soft flame burning inside her, warming her. A gentle reminder that he was always with her even though they were apart. 

Then finally it was time. The first Midsummer’s Day since, a year later. It was warm, the sun shining bright, nature abloom, birds chirping, a gentle breeze floating through the air. It was peaceful. And yet, in complete contrast to the bittersweetness inside her. Sadness had found her heart in the last couple of days, and her love was ever strong, eating her up inside. 

When she arrived at the bench at midday it was with a heavy heart, her soul yearning, and it wasn’t long until the first tears were rolling down her cheeks. If only she could feel him close, but the window was closed and she could only hope Will was with her in his own world, in this very place at this very time. 

She was sitting quietly, closing her eyes, focusing on her memories. The first time they met, how scared she was and how surprised at seeing someone without a daemon in the world of Cittàgazze. The time Will lost his fingers and the wounds wouldn’t heal and she was scared for his life. The time they had to leave their daemons behind and only had themselves to lean on.

No, she silently chastised herself, she wanted to focus on the positive memories, the ones worth keeping. The soft berries and her fingers at his lips, then lips on lips, tasting the sweetness. Them in each other’s arms, never wanting to let go, taking the other in, savouring the smell of honey and the warmth of their bodies.

She was lost so deep in her thoughts that she was almost floating and when a sudden yank catapulted something inside her elsewhere she was taken completely by surprise. Immediately she noted a difference in her surroundings. It was much cloudier here for a summer’s day. And there was something else. Something warm. She was engulfed by warmth. But as she lifted her arms they were translucent, her fingers glittering in the air. The warmth… it must be. 

“Will?” She asked excitedly. Her voice was soft and faint, not quite like her real voice. 

“Lyra?” Came the reply, quiet and echoing in her head. “How is this possible?” 

She instinctively knew they were connected with each other, as if their lifelines were forever linked and bound.

“Dust,” she said. “It must be. And that we’re in the same place at the same time,” she concluded. Something dawned on her. “Our witch powers,” she whispered. Neither of them knew what their powers included, other than that they were able to part from their daemons for long distances, something only witches could do. 

She was still sitting in the same spot, didn’t dare move away, didn’t want to lose the warmth that Will’s body provided her with and didn’t want to risk losing the connection. 

“Can you feel me?” She asked, wondering if he was experiencing the same.

“Yes,” he said. “I miss you.” 

Her heart was beating rapidly at that. “I miss you too. Listen, I’m not sure how this happened but I was concentrating on my memories and suddenly I felt a pull towards you… I don’t know how long I can keep this up… Do you think we could try this again? Sooner than in a year’s time,” she smiled. If she could reopen this connection then they could be together more often, share their lives with each other again. 

She thought she could sense his racing heart, his excitement pulsing in his veins. “Of course. Is tomorrow too soon? I have so many questions…”

But before she could answer she was yanked back into her own body, the cry of an eagle still hanging in the air. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the bright sunshine. She had so many questions herself and wondered if there was a way to reach out to Serafina Pekkala for support. But until then this experience was a start. She knew she was in a similar state like when she focused on reading the alethiometer when she was still able to, and with practice she would be able to do it again.

Then tomorrow it would be, same time, same place. 


End file.
